“Community Consensus against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Harmful Practices (HPs), with a Focus on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Child Marriage” Program
In partnership with the Norwegian Embassy, BLESS is implementing a program that seeks to improve the lives of girls and women by addressing and eradicating violence against women (EVAW/G). The program specifically targets harmful practices such as FGM, early marriage, sexual harassment (SH), and domestic violence (DV). Through a community-driven approach, the program fosters consensus and local engagement to combat these issues, ultimately working toward the protection of women’s rights and gender equality.
– The 16-day campaign against gender-based violence: to raise awareness about combating violence against women.
– World Girls’ Day: to raise the awareness of girls aged 15-25 about their rights and affirm the rejection of the church for any harmful practices towards girls.
– Youth clubs: to create a new generation of young men and women that supports the idea of combating violence against women.
– Men’s sessions to combat violence against women: to raise men’s awareness about the harmful practices and violence against women and realize the rights of women as laid out in the Egyptian constitution.
– Elderly mother’s group discussions: to review of views in support of harmful practices in order to change these perspectives for mothers, grandmothers, and mothers-in-law.
A father from El Aiaysha village in Qena said: “I used to believe that FGM was a normal practice for all girls. However, after attending this campaign, I came to understand the health and psychological risks my daughter could face. Now, I am committed to protecting her from this harmful practice.”